McIlroy planned to play aggressively off the tee this week at a greener, softer TPC Sawgrass, saying the following at his pre-tournament press conference

“I think the course over the last 10 years or whatever it’s been in May, it hasn’t lent itself to aggressive play. It’s sort of position and irons off tees and really trying to plot your way around the golf course, where I hit drivers on holes today that I would never have hit driver the last few years. So just to be a little more aggressive, get a shorter club in your hand, and even when you are aggressive and you miss, it’s a touch easier to get yourself back into position.”

The approach paid off. The Ulsterman was second in the field in strokes gained: off the tee at 5.309. He was fifth in the field in driving distance (305 yards). He led the field in strokes gained: tee to green.